October 03, 2016

After picking No. 1 overall in the past summer's MLB Draft, the Philadelphia Phillies will hold the No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.

The Phillies are slotted eighth in the draft because they finished with the eighth worst record in the league.

The Minnesota Twins, who finished with a 59-103 record, will own the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The Atlanta Braves will have the No. 5 overall pick, the highest of any team in the National League East, after winning just 68 games in 2016.

In recent seasons, the Phillies have had tremendous success with the first round picks. J.P. Crawford, who was No. 16 overall pick in 2013, has developed into one of the top prospects in all of baseball. Aaron Nola, though injuries caused him to have a disappointing season in 2016, has flashed front of the rotation type potential after being selected with the No. 7 overall pick in 2014. Cornelius Randolph was selected with the 10th overall pick in 2015, is already ranked as the organization's fifth best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. And Mickey Moniak, who was the No. 1 overall pick this summer, is ranked as the organization's No. 2 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline, behind the aforementioned Crawford.

The MLB Draft's exact date for 2017 isn't set, though the event normally takes place in June.

October 02, 2016

While there has been some sentiment expressed from both Philadelphia Phillies fans and manager Pete Mackanin about adding veteran bats to the team for 2017, it appears that the club is less than likely to add anyone of significance this off-season.

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Phillies, who aren't short on available funds, may not sit free-agency out, but they aren't likely to make any big splashes in free-agency:

Within an hour of the Philadelphia Phillies 2016 season drawing to a close, Jim Salisbury of Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia is reporting that the Phillies do not plan to retain hitting coach Steve Henderson:

Though the Phillies finished the 2016 season with eight more wins than 2015, their team offense was probably the worst in the entire league. The team finished the 2016 campaign 30th in runs scored, 29th in team batting average, 29th in on-base percentage and 30th in slugging percentage.

Admittedly, the Phillies didn't have a ton of offensive talent to work with, though the stalled developments of both Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera probably sealed the fate of Henderson.

Henderson, 63, has been in the Phillies organization since 2010 and has served as the team's hitting coach for the past four seasons.

Internally, the Phillies seem to lack an obvious choice to replace Henderson, so his replacement is likely to be someone from outside the organization. Some have speculated that announcer Matt Stairs could be a candidate.

It's unclear whether the rest of manager Pete Mackanin's staff will return for the 2017 season.

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard spoke on numerous occasions Sunday afternoon, in what was likely his final game with the club that he's spent his entire career with.

One of those occasions that Howard spoke was to the collective media after the game, where he reminded the media that he hit both his first, and likely last, home runs with the club against the New York Mets.

Howard's first career home run came on Sept. 11, 2001, while he donned No. 12, at Shea Stadium against the New York Mets.

Following that home run, Howard won a Rookie of the Year, the National League MVP, and lead the Phillies to five National League East titles and a World Series title.

He also hit 380 more home runs before things came full circle and he hit his 382, and likely final, home run with the club Saturday.

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The differences between the two home runs are noticeable. Howard hit his first home run in Shea Stadium, which last housed the Mets in 2008. He hit his final home run in the Phillies cream alternate home jersey, which didn't exist until 2008, four seasons after he hit his first home run with the club. He also cut his number in half to what eventually became his iconic No. 6, a number that no one is likely to wear in Philadelphia for some time to come.

Howard finished his Phillies career Sunday with 382 home runs, which puts him within striking distance of 400 home runs, should he continue his career in 2017. Those 18 home runs would have to come in a different jersey, however, something Howard, who has spent his entire career to this point with the Phillies, has obviously never done.

Prior to this afternoon's Philadelphia Phillies-New York Mets matchup, the Phillies held a ceremony honoring Ryan Howard, who is playing his final game with the club he's spent his entire career with this afternoon.

Besides the video, partner John S. Middleton and chairman David Montgomery presented Howard with a glove that features some of his best moments with the team, the team put a plaque where Howard hit his 58th home run in 2006 and Howard spoke to fans for over three minutes.

The Phillies pre-game ceremony did not include tributes from former teammates, though both Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley issued statements praising Howard for his contributions to the Phillies organization.

"Ryan, on countless occasions, put us on his back and carried us to the finish line. He was such an important part of our success, and I hope Philadelphia recognizes that."

Utley, of course, probably isn't too tuned into the end of the Phillies season. The Phillies did honor Howard prior to the game with a video tribute, a gift presented by partner John S. Middleton and chairman David Montgomery and a special marker where his 58th home run in 2006 landed. Howard also thanked the fans in a brief, yet emotional, speech prior to the game.

Utley and the Dodgers are currently in the midst of the final game of their 2016 regular season, which will serve as Vin Scully's final game as Dodgers' announcer.

Howard and Utley were teammates for parts of 12 seasons, leading the Phillies to five division titles, two World Series appearances and the 2008 World Series title.

When the Philadelphia Philies honor Ryan Howard prior to his final game Sunday afternoon, it's possible that messages from some of his former teammates will be a part of the reported ceremony. Perhaps no one other than Chase Utley could deliver a more meaningful look back at Howard's time with the club than Jimmy Rollins, who thanked Howard publicly Saturday.

"When Ryan first arrived in Philadelphia, he was merely filling in for Jim [Thome] in the eyes of many, but he did not let that opportunity to shine pass him by. He quickly became feared as he won Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in consecutive years and reached 200 home runs quicker than anyone in the history of the game. He loved the pressure and wanted to be the man at the plate when the game mattered most. During our run, we leaned on him many times for big hits and clutch home runs and he found ways to deliver. Ryan never stopped working to better himself and his craft…whether it was getting to field early for extra defensive work or finding that sweet home run stroke. Although he hit a lot of them, he was more than just a power hitter, he was a great teammate!! We all hoped to bring more than one championship to Philadelphia, but without Ryan that one may not have been possible. So, many thanks to “Big Piece” for being such a big piece of the best years of my career in the City of Brotherly Love!!!"

Howard and Rollins, who won consecutive National League MVPs in 2006 and 2007, were teammates for parts of 11 seasons. During their time together, the two future Wall of Famers led the Phillies to five National League East titles, three NLCS appearances, two National League pennants and the 2008 World Series title.

September 29, 2016

Yesterday, we passed along a report from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that noted that the Philadelphia Phillies "planned to honor" Ryan Howard in Sunday's season finale, which most likely will also serve as his final game as a member of the team. That reporting is vague, and though specific details still remain thin, more continues to come out about how the Phillies will honor Howard.

The Phillies will have a “special pre-game presentation” to Ryan Howard, set to begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. The matinee between the Phillies and Mets begins at 3:05 p.m., with gates opening at 1:05 p.m.

The Phillies won't call this Howard's last game with the team because they have to formally buy him out of his $23 million option after the season, though it's fair to guess Howard will speak prior to the game, there will be tribute videos and perhaps even a few messages from former and current teammates to Howard will appear on the scoreboard. If you didn't know better, you would call that a going out ceremony.

For numerous reasons, Sunday's game may be the best game to attend at Citizens Bank Park in the second half of the season. It's fan appreciation day, it will turn into an appreciation day of sorts for Howard and it could still have playoff implications for the Mets.

When the Philadelphia Phillies elected not to trade starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, they did so under the belief that they could offer him a qualifying offer after the season, which would either mean the Phillies would retain him for the 2017 season or they would get a compensatory draft pick if he left in free-agency.

In a note in this space last week it was suggested that free agent to be pitcher Jeremy Hellickson could get the $17-million qualifying offer. But one rival suggested they’d be “nuts’ to try it, and that Hellickson would surely take it if offered. Hellickson had a nice year and the supply/demand issue will play in his favor, but after receiving what they deemed to be so-so or worse trade offers at the deadline for Hellickson, who made $7.8 million this year, they may view the choice as a “calculated gamble” they may not want to take.

There's a few things about the "rival's" take that should also be taken into account. First of all, she/he's a rival, so her/his team may have interest in signing Hellickson, and if they the 29-year-old hits free-agency without a qualifying offer attached to him, he's a much more intriguing arm to sign. Secondly, the Phillies would probably be a better team with Hellickson in the fold in 2017, not only because he can eat innings but also because his veteran presence would be positive in an otherwise young rotation. If the Phillies extend a qualifying offer to Hellickson and end up overpaying him for a season, so be it, they are a big market team with very little money on the books in 2017.

The easiest way for the Phillies to avoid having to take the risk of offering the qualifying offer would be to sign him to an extension prior to free-agency. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported over the weekend that the Phillies and Hellickson both do have some interest in an extension, but seemed to suggest that it wouldn't make sense for Hellickson not to test free-agency in what is expected to be a weak market.

Hellickson, 29, was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks this past off-season and served as the Phillies Opening Day starter in 2016. In 185.2 innings in 2016, Hellickson is 12-10 with a 3.78 ERA. According to Fangraphs, Hellickson has posted a 4.03 FIP, a 4.05 xFIP and a 3.1 WAR in 2016, all of which are the best numbers that Hellickson has posted in a full big league season.

September 28, 2016

Though details have remained extremely vague, the Philadelphia Phillies do seem likely to honor first baseman Ryan Howard in some way in Sunday afternoon's game against the New York Mets. Though the game is already special in some senses because it is scheduled to be "Fan Appreciation Day," it will likely turn into an appreciation day of sorts for Howard, as Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe notes:

The Phillies tried endlessly to move him, but it never worked out. The team plans to honor him next Sunday in what should be an awkward moment in some respects. Howard is basically being pushed out, and there’s no guarantee his career will resume elsewhere.